Improvement in horse hay-forks



' Tran [STATES PATENT CFFIGE,

ELI T. STOUGHTON, OF SANy FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPRVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

Specitication forming part of Letters Patent No. 178.8 l0, dated June 13, 1876 application led October 29, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI T. SToUGHToN, of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented a Horse Hay-Fork 5 and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufcient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my saidpinvention without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and operation ot v machines by which large masses of hay are clasped and held until they can be elevated and transferred to the proper point, where they are deposited. A

Referrin gto the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure l is a perspective view of my fork. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation.

A is a plate, made circular or in other convenient shape, and ha-ving the hollow legs B B projecting downward like a tripod. A standard, C, extends upward from this plate, to which it is secured, and another disk or plate, D, somewhat smaller than -the first, is litted to slide upon thesta-ndard. Two arms, E, project upward from this plate at opposite sides, and are united by a cross-bar, F, at the top. rIhis bar is also fitted to slide upon the standard, and serves as a guide to the plate D in its movements. rIhe hollow legs B have each a rod, G, passing through them, and these rods are hinged at the bottom to a peculiarly-pointed lug or projection, H. These lugs are made so as to form a continuation ot' the legs B when they are closed up, and they have their outer sides hinged tothe leg, while the inner sides are connected -with the rods G, by which they are operated about the outer hinge, so that, when the rods G are forced down, the lugs will be turned outward, so as to stand nearly at right angles with the legs. In order to allow this motion the outer edge is slotted, so that a movement back and forward will be allowed on the outer hinge-pin as the rods G are pushed downl or drawn up. A lever, I, is supported by standards upon the plate D, and has one end connected by links J with the standard C, so that, when turned down, it forces the plate D close to the plate A, and by thus pushing the rods G down the lugs H are turned outward.

When the lever I is turned up it separates the plates, and draws the rods G upward, thus turning the lugs H, so that they will stand in a straight line with the legs, of which they then appear to form a part. The lever I is locked in this position by means 0f a pin, K, which passes through a projection from the crossbar F, and falls into a slot made in the end of the lever, as shown.

The whole device is suspended by a rope from the top of the cross-bar F, and by this it is lifted and moved about a derriek, in the usual manner.

The operation will then be as follows: The lever I being looked in its position, the legs vB and the-pointed lugs H will stand in a line. In this position it is plunged into the hay to be moved, and when into the full depth the lever I is unlatched and pulled down, thus moving the plate D and rods G, and turning the points H outward, so as to project into and hold the hay until it has been litted and moved to its destination, when, by moving the lever back to its 'vertical position, the points H will be again m'oved into line with the legs, and thus release the machine, which can be withdrawn from the hay. As the rods G converge toward the top the plate D must be slotted radially where they pass through it, so that the rods G may move out and in as the plate is raised and lowered.

In the present case I have shown but three of the legs or fork-tines B; but it will be mani-` fest that any number may be used, and they may be ot' any length or spread desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent isa 'Bhe hollow tines B, provided with curved slotted lugs H, in combination with the internal rods G, plate A, movable slotted plate D, standard C, links J, lever I, and yoke E F, all constructed, arranged, and operated as described.

ELI STOUGHTON; [L

Witnesses:

GEO. H. STRONG, JNO. L. BooNE. 

